Wednesday, August 2, 2017

(Probably endless) list of things I love about Logan, part 3

136. Logan growling in his sleep, waking up and seeing Laura there, watching him. It's a blessing she wasn't anywhere near him since we all know what happens to women when Logan wakes up near them.

137. The soul-crashing vulnerability and innocence in which Jackman delivers that line.

138. This shot of adamantium bullet and weary Logan.

139. I like the fact that we don't know why what is happening to Logan is happening to him. In reality the adamantium was always poisoning him but thanks to his healing factor, he was fine. Now mysteriously his healing factor is wearying off. The sad thing is that this is probably what is going to happen to Laura in the future.

140. He is saying something terrible but he doesn't mean to hurt Laura. Again there is such innocence and weariness in Jackman's delivery. He is not being hurtful, he is just being honest.

141. The fact that it would be so easy for the film to do the standard thing and do the 'hero versus evil' theme with everything being black and white but the film goes for something deeper. Logan condemns all killing. Each instance you take a life, it's taking something away from you.

142. This great shot of Laura taking away the bullet.

143. The tiny scissors moment. It's such a great moment of levity that is put between very emotionally charged scenes. It's also a brilliant way to give the Wolverine his iconic look back.

144. Logan's annoyance. You actually realize later that since Laura had the comics with the Wolverine in them, all the kids must be familiar with them. They all know who the Wolverine is. He is the hero they saw in comics now standing right before them.

145. The sadness you see in Logan's face when he realizes this is the end of the road and he needs to leave Laura.

146. The second time you watch the movie this scene absolutely destroys you. The first time, this brief maybe 10 seconds long moment make you register it as 'Logan is watching Laura with her friends'. But that's not all that he is doing. He is remembering. He is remembering that time when he had his friends with him. When they were all together, all the X-Men. Now he is all alone and they are all gone.

147. Yet still the first thing Logan offers Laura when she arrives is kindness...

148. ....turning into attack only because she is clearly angry with him.

149. In spire of everything that happens, Logan's idea to drink himself to death is still what he is planning to do. The film doesn't do the easy thing. His whole life isn't changed and redeemed just because there is someone there who cares for him. She is safe now and he thinks he is at the point of not going back.

150. The sass. Again, like father, like daughter.

151. This could be a terrible line when badly delivered. But it fits the character so well - the perception that he doesn't care, his grumpiness. Jackman's kills with the delivery of this one.

152. Such a heartbreaking moment. One of the few scenes during the movie during which James Mangold didn't speak during the commentary. He said he just loves the scene too much, he wanted to focus and see it again.

153. The fact that this is the shot ending this scene and Logan is yet again all alone with all of his sadness and loneliness. It's heartbreaking there is nothing and no one easing his pain.

154. The film shows us just how exhausted Logan is. He can barely stand, let alone walk, but he has to save them. He has to save her.

155. I think this is the moment when I knew what was coming. And I was not ready. I'm still not ready.

156. These kids are already infected with the killing. They are brutal towards their enemies. As they should be, fighting for their lives.

157. Laura hearing Logan's scream. He came back for her.

158. The running shot. I just love it so damn much.

159. The Logan's Run sequence - the shot where Logan is running through the forest trees to kill attacking bad guys or "reavers" at the end of the film was nicknamed 'Logan's Run' by the VFX production team. What seems like one long shot of Logan running and impaling a bad guy on a tree is actually four separate takes of different stunt guys running, combined with head and neck replacements, digital claws, background fix up and CG gore. The only complaint I have is that it is so short, we actually saw practically the entirety of it in the second trailer. But it's so good and it finally shows the Wolverine in all his glory.

160. That great growl.

161. Laura seeing Logan arrive to her rescue. It's such a triumphant moment we see entirely from her perspective.

162. Logan telling Laura to get behind him. She heals and he is only going because of the serum that is wearying off. But he cannot stand her being in pain.

163. Everything about this.

164. This kid's bravery. Love this. Laura's new friends are great.

165. The hysterical "cool with all of this" quality with which Richard E. Grant plays this character especially in this scene.

166. Logan just unceremoniously shooting that guy mid-sentence in spite of stating previously he doesn't like guns. Nobody has time for this shit now.

167. They KNOW this is it.

168. The way Pierce dies. Killed by the mutant powers of those kids working together.

169. I think this is the very first time in the entire movie where Laura looks like a helpless child.

170. This moment. The film's most emotional moment. Logan so eagerly grabbing her hand. I can't bear this. And there's of course this. Mangold also directed The Wolverine this moment is from.

171. This is one of those lines that just get burnt into your memory and heart when you see this film. All he can do in the short time he has left is to leave Laura with some guidance, some knowledge to share with her.

172. The way Logan repeats her name. He is not in despair. He is happy. He is overcome with the wonder before him - that there is someone out there who loves him and whom he loves. His own daughter. Someone who is his.

173. This is the point where I loose it. I just can't hold back tears.

174. The subtitles don't do this line justice because before he says it he lets out this 'oh' filled with wonderment. This is not about death. This is about love.

175. And the final, fifth smile in the movie. The last thing James Howlett did in the world was smiling at his little girl.

176. Laura gently touching his hair and caressing his head.

177. The composition of this shot.

178. And this one. He was buried in such a beautiful place.

179. Laura again lifting from her experiences with Logan and Charles and quoting Shane in his eulogy.

180. In case you are not crying hysterically yet, Bobby is holding Wolverine action figure.

181. The way this little girl touches Laura's shoulder to comfort her.

182. This. Just this.

183. Laura turning around, not wanting to leave him

184. The exquisite final shot of the movie.

185. The ending credits song is Johnny Cash's The Man Comes Around. It's a brilliant choice - a fun one too because James Mangold also directed Walk the Line. Also what a blessing that it wasn't Hurt. I think I'd have a nervous breakdown if after the ending we heard that song, which was so exceptionally well used in the film's first trailer.

THINGS I'VE FORGOTTEN IN PREVIOUS PARTS:

186. The lights, the color and the composition of this shot. I in general love all the neon lights that appear throughout the movie.

187. That moment he has sunglasses on!

188. That moment where Laura lists the names of her friends is very similar to the scene in Days of Future Past where Logan lists his friends to young Charles, telling him he needs to find them and help them.

DELETED SCENES:

189. In a very cool deleted scene a female cop pulls Logan, Laura and Charles over. This is the adorable bit where Logan asks Laura not to make trouble.

190. Such a funny moment. Of course it wasn't "Sixty-ish" but a lot more.

191. The cop takes interest in Laura but the real reason for me featuring this is Logan saying "ma'am" which I irrationally love so much.

192. To make the cop go away Charles steps in talking about his son driving way too fast and making a joke which finally persuades the cop they are just a normal family. Logan throws him this hilarious look.

193. As happy as this scene was they still had the cop say that which given what happens is yet another sadistic line.

194. In a scene that was met with some 'but Jean was with Scott!' hissy fits Mrs. Munson asks Logan if he was married. Charles jumps in and informs everyone that he was married but she died. Her name was Jean Grey and she was lovely. "He killed her" he adds. This is the look that Logan shoots him after chuckling nervously. This is such brilliant acting from Jackman - in one moment he is both taken aback by Charles suggesting he would kill Jean - though he did but without context it does sound horrible - and puzzled by his ability to remember things. There is so much in just one look here.

195. Again this is so inappropriate but just look how handsome he is.

196. This is a deleted scene that shows Caliban's death. Mangold explains in the commentary that all those scenes were deleted basically because of the movie was already running long also this scene poses the question - why did they take Charles' body but not Caliban's? Anyways what is remarkable here is yet again the look on Jackman's face. I wish all of those scenes were kept in the movie because all four of them show even more that this is a truly exceptional work.

197. In this scene Logan wakes up to Bobby playing with toys next to his bed. Bobby asks him if the comic book stories and Sabretooth (Logan's brother, played by Liev Schreiber in Origins. Schreiber was almost in Logan - Sabretooth was supposed to help our trio in the city where the casino was. I am glad he wasn't there in the end, the less characters, the more intimate the movie, which worked so well here) was real. Logan explains that yes not all the stories were lies. And then the following exchange happens and Jackman's delivery of the line is yet again just exceptional.

198. And finally - the first trailer for the movie is truly one of the best trailers ever released.

GREAT finish here. Love how you went back and mention things you had missed. 146 is so good. That didn't fully click with me (I've only seen the movie once!), but I love your insight. The compositions in this movie really are something else. Can't wait to watch it again with Mangold's commentary.

The commentary really is so excellent. He really wants to tell people new things about the movie - which is difficult because him and Hugh really gave a lot of amazing interviews during promo tour - but he is also so filled with appreciation for the entire cast and crew and you could tell that he really put his heart into the making of this movie

I knew I was going to cry. Three out of three but I cried a lot more tears than just 3. Man, this movie just.. I had no recollection of that red haired lady telling Logan how he was going to die, man, that's a great touch and an Easter egg I just discovered from this list. Like I've said, not much of an X-Men fan and Logan is by far my favourite movie of the entire franchise.

There are so many moments from that final scene that I could recall but for me, the fact that the bad guy was killed during his speech, in the middle of the sentence, was my favourite. Logan doesn't have time for you! Logan doesn't care about your damn speech, he has heard many of them, we have heard too many of them. Shut up, bad guys, bang,bang. In a way there's humour in that moment, a little poke at the stereotypical bad-guy-speech-moment.

I'm a little sad Pierce was killed. I quite liked him.

Anyway. Thanks for making me cry! Always a pleasure to relive horrible yet profoundly amazing movie moments and then cry over them. Hopefully Logan won't be forgotten during the upcoming award season. It is a very huge step for the superhero movies, and I truly hope it gets the recognition it deserves for the movie as well as everyone involved.

Honestly I doubt this film will be topped. Unless Darren manages to make me connect to anything in mother! on top of probably pulling off a stunning movie. In any case Logan deserves nominations and wins and nothing out of conventional Oscar films this year will most likely be more worthy than this wonderful film